In addition, the department has particular strengths in the study of divided and diverse societies as well as peace, conflict and security.

Applicants must have an A- average in a Master's degree in political science, or equivalent. Between four and seven candidates are accepted into the doctoral program each year. The PhD program requires successful completion of six one-term courses, a second-language examination, field examinations in two fields, and the presentation and defence of a Ph.D. dissertation. The average completion time for the doctoral program is just over five years.

Funding

Students who are accepted for doctoral studies will be provided financial assistance. Each offer of admission includes a funding package that guarantees a minimum level of funding for the duration of the student’s period of funding-eligibility (four years of full-time enrollment for PhD students). This funding typically consists of a Queen's Graduate Award and a Teaching Assistantship, but may include a Research Assistantship, or a Queen’s internal award. Our students have an excellent track record of securing external scholarship support (SSHRC, OGS, etc.). In the past, our doctoral students have been honoured with the Trudeau Scholarship and the Vanier Scholarship. Incoming PhD students who win federal government tri-council awards are automatically provided a one time top-up award by Queen’s.

International students with guaranteed funding from their home country/government are eligible to apply for admission to the Doctoral program. In addition, each year a small number of international students without funding can be considered for admission to the Doctoral program and if admitted will be provided $5,000 per year for four years in the form of an International Tuition Award (ITA) to offset tuition costs. The number of available ITAs is limited so admission for international doctoral students is highly competitive.

External Opportunities

The department encourages and supports the participation of doctoral students in external opportunities and offers access to two major skill-building summer schools:

Held annually by the Consortium for Qualitative Research Methods in Syracuse, NY, the institute seeks to enable participants to create and critique methodologically sophisticated qualitative research designs, including case studies, tests of necessity or sufficiency, and narrative or interpretive work. IQMR attendees receive constructive feedback on their own qualitative research designs, and the course also includes discussions led by the authors of well known works which employ qualitative methods. Funding is provided through the department.

"The methods institute allowed me to explore new options for approaching my research question critically and provided me a laundry list of helpful tips about conducting field research and analysis. I also had the opportunity to make connections with fellow researchers from all around the world."

The UQAM Summer Institute is a bi-annual two-week summer school for graduate students that is organized and financed by a broad academic network headed by Professor Alain Gagnon at the Université du Québec au Montréal.

In 2017, the summer institute took place in Bolzano/Bozen, in cooperation with the Eurac Research-Institute for Minority Rights and Institute for Comparative Federalism. The 2017 edition (June 19 - 30, 2017) of the summer school focused on “A World in Turmoil: Territory, Power-Sharing and Conflicts” and examined the challenge of complex diversity through theoretical and empirical perspectives from all over the world. The two week program consisted of lectures given by distinguished scholars and experts—mainly coming from the network of partners-—seminars, institutional visits and other non-academic and cultural activites. Students also had the opportunity to deepen their expertise regarding the school's topics by presenting and discussing their own work, such as doctoral dissertations, on-going research, or research papers. Funding is provided through the department.

"The summer institute was a terrific opportunity to meet and study with other scholars in the field, to network with prominent researchers, to foster future collaborations, and to learn about a fascinating region in the heart of Europe."

- Alexandra Liebich, PhD Candidate

"I chose to study politics at Queen’s because of the opportunity it provided to work closely with professional experts in the field and because the department boasted strong connections with other faculties. I am incredibly thankful for the chance to work with such established and well-respected scholars in the field of Canadian politics. The small department size has made it easier to develop a relationship with my supervisor, and to connect with other graduate students and faculty members. Professionally, the program has given me the freedom to teach, publish, and travel to conferences. Studying politics at Queen’s has allowed me not only to pursue my education, but to begin building my career."

"I have really enjoyed my time here at Queen's. I chose Queen’s politics because of its Canadian and international reputation and my excellent supervisor. Upon starting my coursework, I quickly discovered the supportive atmosphere of the department. I have made life-long friends with fellow graduate students in the department and the overall structure of the PhD allows for the completion of the dissertation in a timely manner."

“I chose Queen’s Politics specifically to work with a fantastic supervisor, to learn at a world-class institution, and to study in a location with significance in incarceral studies. You’ll find that the department can cater to a wide range of research topics, with a wealth of academic expertise at your disposal. My experience has been great so far; as an out-of-province student I’ve been constructively challenged not only academically but also in integrating to life in a new province. I’ve found my colleagues to be an amazing support in both regards. There are so many opportunities to get involved, informally and formally, in department and community life – and it has been an all-around enriching experience.”

“I chose Queen’s for its strong reputation, world-renowned faculty, rigorous standards, and collegial environment. The program has provided me with numerous research opportunities in the fields of Canadian and Comparative Politics. As the home of the Institute of Intergovernmental Relations, Canadian Opinion Research Archive, and Centre for the Study of Democracy and Diversity, Queen’s has been an ideal place to study federalism, cultural diversity, and political communications. I am especially grateful for access to research grants, scholarly networks, institutional affiliations, and outstanding mentorship. I have benefitted from a highly productive work environment with consistent support from faculty. My colleagues and friends in the department form a welcoming, supportive, and tight-knit community. I highly recommend the Political Studies graduate program to prospective students.”

“I chose the Department of Political Studies at Queen’s University to work with my supervisor, Dr. Susanne Soederberg, and because I felt Queen’s offered unparalleled support and guidance compared to other programmes. As I enter the third year of my Ph.D., I am grateful for the atmosphere of encouragement presented to graduate students in this Department – including but not limited to field research funding, grant application guidance, and facilitating students to prioritise their research objectives. ”

"The Department of Political Studies has excellent faculty pursuing a wide variety of interest. The program provides a collegial and supportive environment which makes course work and research much more enjoyable. I have particularly benefited from the department’s diverse range of specializations among both professors and graduate students which encourages innovative graduate research."